Carrier for tokens



J. C. HOPKINS. CARRIER FOR TOKENS. APPLICATION FILED MAR- 7. 192.1. g

Patented J une 20, 1922.

Q i Q. b a v A NN v Q fim NM M M Q mvm hit? JOHN C. HOPKINS, OF CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA.

CARRIER FOR TOKENS.

Application filed March 7, 1921. Serial No. 150,142.

To all whom it may concern .1

Be it known that 1, JOHN C. HOPKINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cedar Rapids, in the county of Linn and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carriers for Tokens, of which the'following is a specification.

This invention is a holder or carrier for tokens now generally used for the payment of street car fares. These tokens are small checks, usually of metal, and, it carried loosely in the pocket or. in a purse, are apt to be mistaken for coins and cause confusion and loss to the possessor of the same. The object of my invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive device whereby a numher of the checks or tokens may be carried in a small. compass and loss of the same prevented while they may be withdrawn singly from the holder as needed. The invention seeks to provide a device for the'stated purpose in which the tokens may be ejected singly and premature or accidental removal of the tokens from the holder will be pre vented. These stated objects and other objects which will incidentally appear in the course of the following description are attained in such a device as is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and the invention resides in certain novel features which will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings-- V Figure l is an elevation of my improved token carrier;

Fig. Qis a longitudinal section of thesame showing the ejector in position to remove one token from the carrier;

Fi 3 is a similar view showing the ejector locked so as to prevent the discharge of a token Fig. 4; is a horizontal section on 4 i of Fig. 2..

In carrying out my invention, I employa cylinder or tubular casing 1. which may be of any desired length, but the diameter of which should be such that tokens, indicated at 2, will fit easily and slidablywithin the casing but cannot easily assume positions out of parallelismwith the ends of the casing. The lower end of the casing is permanently closed by a plate or head 3 which may be slightly enlarged so as to reinforce and protect the end ot the casing and between the the line head 3 and the adjacent end-1 of the casing is formed adischarge slot l which should be wide enough to permit a single token to. pass easily therethrough when actuated by the e ector. A notch 5 is also formed in the head 3 at about the center of the discharge slot: 4 thereby producing; a. shoulder 6 on the head whlch may be engaged. by a corresponding shoulder upon: the ejector after a token has been discharged so that the ejector will be held across the lower nd of. the casing and prevent a second token being prematurely discharged. The ejector consists of a slidable bar 7 working through an; opening 8, in the end of the casing diametrically opposite the discharge slot 4:, and pivoted at its outer endto a handle or lever 9 which is, pivotally mounted, as at1-0-,,upon the side of the easing. A small leaf spring 11 is secured to. the lever or handle 9 and bears upon the knuckle 12 of the ejector so as to prevent, the e ector swinging, excessively relative to the handle and thereby becoming, disengaged from the casing. The said spring also serves to hold the ejector positively against the token to be discharged. Adjacent the tree end of the ejector, a shoulder 13-v is formed upon the under side thereoi to engage the shoulder 6 on the casing, asshown' in; Fig. 3, whereby the ejector will beheld across. the end of the casing and block theprogress of the tokens to the discharge slot. Another shoulder l-il= is provided upon the upper side of the ejectorto engage the token to be discharged, as shown in Fig, 2-, so that when pressureis exerted upon the handle or lever 9, the ejector will be caused to slide across and through the end of the casing and push the lowest token through the discharge slot. The ejector is extended slightly beyond the shoulder 14 so that a tongue 15' is produced which may be easily engaged by the fingers of the user to release the ejector and permit it to assume an operative position. A leaf spring 16 is secured to the side of the casing and bears against the lever or handle 10 so that when the shoulder 13 is released-from the shoulder 6 by pressure applied to: the tongue 15, the handle will be swung about its fulcrum 10 and the ejector withdrawn'to the position shown in Fig. 2. By extending the handle or lever 9 above its fulcrum, as shown at 17, the end oi the lever or handle will be permitted to impinge against the side of the casing, and thereby limit the movement of the ejector so that it cannot be entirely withdrawn from the casing.

A plunger or follower 18 is provided within the casing to rest upon the tokens and cause them to move positively to the discharge end of the casing so that the possible frictional engagement between the edges of the tokens and the wall of the casing will be overcome and the lowest token will be positively pushed into position to be ensecured at one end to the follower and at its opposite end to a head or cap 20. This head or cap is adapted to fit readily within the end of the casing and is annularly enlarged so as to provide a shoulder 21 to engage the end of the casing, as will be readily understood. The annular enlargement of the cap or head may be milled, or corrugated, or otherwise finished so as to permit firm grasp of the same to be easily obtained. This head or cap 20 is provided with a radial lug or projection 22 adapted to enter a bayonet-slot 23 formed in the wall of the casing at the end thereof so that after the cap has been placed in position to close the end of the casing and given a slight turn, the expansion of the spring 19 will hold the pin or lug 22 in engagement with the end of the slot and thereby prevent accidental detachment of the cap.

When tokens are to be placed in the carrier, the cap 20 is withdrawn and the spring 19 and follower 18 will, of course, be withdrawn with it inasmuch as the spring is positively secured at its opposite ends to the cap and the follower. The'tokens are then placed in the casingythe ejector having been first set, as shown in Fig. 3. The ejector should be of such thickness that, when in the position shown in Fig. 3, it will support the lowest token with the upper face of the same above the upper edge of the discharge slot and, consequently, said token cannot accidentally emerge from the casing. After the carrier has been filled or all the tokens then on hand have been placed therein, the follower is inserted and the cap 20 again fitted in place. When it is desired to withdraw a token, a slight pressure is exerted upon the tongue 15 so that the shoulder 13 will be released from the shoulder 6, where upon the spring 16 will swing the handle or lever 9 outwardly and withdraw the ejector, as shown in Fig. 2. Pressure is then exerted upon the handle to slide the ejector across the end of the casing and a token will be discharged as is obvious. It will be readily noted that, when the ejector assumes the position shown in Fig. 2, the lowest token will rest upon the tongue 15 and against the shoulder 14 so that when the lever is subsequently swung about its fulcrum and the ejector thereupon pushed across the casing the said lowest token will be forced through the discharge slot 4: and may be caught in the hand of the user. The spring 11 by its engagement with the knuckle 12 will hold the ejector to the head or bottom 3 of the casing so that it will readily pass under the token supported by the lowest token and, consequently, only a single token will be ejected and the ejector will move easily and smoothly through the casing between the end of the same and the second token. When the ejector has been pushed entirely across the carrier, the shoulder 13 will drop into engagement with the shoulder 6 and this action will be facilitated by the spring 11, the ejector being thereby locked against immediate return and preventing a second token accident ally passing through the discharge slot. Of course, if it be desired to withdraw two tokens, the ejector may be operated twice and the successive operations may be as rapid as the skill of the user will permit.

It will be readily noted that I have provided a very compact, light, inexpensive and attractive carrier whereby the tokens may be easily kept separated from coins and may be conveniently discharged when and as needed. When the ejector is locked in the position shown in Fig. 3 its accidental operation is effectually prevented so that the device may be carried loosely in a pocket or a purse without liability to he accidentally released and cause premature discharge and loss of the tokens.

. Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A device for the purpose set forth comprising a tubular casing having a discharge opening in its side at one end, an ejector movable across said end'of the casing and into said discharge opening whereby to eject a token placed in the casing, means whereby the ejector may be held within the said discharge opening, and means acting constantly in opposition to said holding means whereby upon release of the holding means the ejector will be automatically withdrawn from the discharge opening and caused to engage a token to eject the same.

. 2. A device for the purpose set forth comprising a casing having a discharge opening in one side at one end, an ejector movable across said end of the casing and into the said discharge opening, the casing and the ejector being provided with coacting shoulders whereby the ejector will be locked across the casing and within said opening, means to disengage said shoulders, and means whereby upon disengagement of-the shoulders the e ector will be withdra n from the discharge opening and caused to engage a token to discharge the same.

3. A device for the purpose set forth comprising a casing having a discharge opening in its side at one end, a head covering said end of the casing, an ejector slidable on the head and normally extending across the head and into the discharge opening, a token-engaging shoulder upon the ejector, means for actuating the ejector, means whereby a token will be engaged by said shoulder at the end of the withdrawing movement of the ejector and means for holding the ejector, to the head of the casing during its ejecting movement.

4, A device for the purpose set forth comprising a casing having a discharge opening in its side at one end, a head covering said end of the casing and provided with a shoulder at the discharge opening, an ejector slidable across said head and provided on its under side with a locking shoulder to engage the shoulder on said head and provided on its upper side with a token-engaging shoulder, the ejector being extended beyond said shoulders to form a releasing tongue, means for sliding the ejector across the head, and means for causing the locking shoulder of the ejector to engage the shoulder on the head. Y 1

5. A device for the purpose set forth comprising a casing having a discharge opening in its side at one end, a head covering said end of the casing, an ejector slidable across said head and having one end arranged at the outer side of the casing, a lever fulcrumed upon the casing and pivotally at tached to the outer end of the ejector, said lever being extended beyond its pivot Whereby to engage the casing and limit the out- Ward movement of the ejector, and yieldable means acting upon said lever to hold the ejector in its outer position.

6. A device for the purpose set forth comprising a casing, an ejector movable across the end of the casing to discharge tokens therefrom, saidejector being provided with a knuckle at its outer end, a lever fulcrumed upon the casing and pivoted to the said knuckle, a spring carried by the lever and bearing upon said knuckle, and yieldable means actin on the lever to hold the ejector in its outer position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN G. HOPKINS. a 

